Cheap Flights to Paris – is it possible?

I’ve been looking for cheap flights to Paris for June 2008 when I’ll be spending most of the month in the city I love. Friends have told me I’m dreaming :-) and I do love a challenge.

I’ll share with you all the places I searched for flights to Paris France, and which one I decided to go with, and why.

So to answer the question, yes – I did find a cheap flight to Paris from Australia.

Cheap Flights Paris

Here are the online search engines I used for cheap flights to Paris:

Cheap Flights with Kayak

Zuji.com.au – also has prices in Australia dollars

Orbitz Flights Tab

http://www.airfaresflights.com.au — this website has a column showing how long the ticket is available for, which I found very helpful.

The first time I found a great flight at a price I could afford, I ‘saved’ it without paying for it.  I was under the mistaken impression that this price would be available a week later.

Wrong.

If you don’t pay for a flight immediately, it will not be available within the next hour. The minute someone buys a ticket, your ‘saved reservation’ price will change if there are no more seats at that price.

I searched for another 6 weeks on each of these search engines until I found the right dates and times – and price :-)

And I bought it immediately, even though it was 4 months prior to my flight date.

I saved $A500 on the ticket I purchased for the same period last year (with Air France) – woohoo! I bought it through Zuji.com

Things to look for with Paris airfares

  • Each of the search engines offering Paris airfares provide flights from different airlines.
  • Each airline has its own rules, regulations, high and low seasons.
  • Some airlines show tickets at prices like $1350 – but the taxes might add up to $800 on top.  Other airlines might only add around $100 in taxes, so don’t get too excited if you see a cheap flight.
  • The cheapest flights might only have a couple of seats available over a whole month, so the sooner you start your search, the more chance you’ll have to find a ticket you can afford.
  • Some of the cheap tickets only have available dates in one month, or over a six week period – make sure to look at the dates of availability before you spend too much time typing in your flight requirements.
  • Make sure you read all the rules associated with your ticket.
    • Can you make changes?
    • Will it cost extra?
    • Do you have to change planes?
    • How many hours between flights?
    • Do the flights leave very early in the morning? Will you be able to get to the airport on time, with 2 hours to spare before an international flight?

I hope these tips help you find the perfect ticket for your cheap flights to Paris.